A traumatic brain injury (“TBI”) occurs when an external mechanical force such as a violent blow or jolt to the head causes brain dysfunction. Certain types of events are known to be more likely to cause TBIs including falls, collisions, fights, abuse, sports, explosive blasts, or the like. A TBI from one or more of such events can result in bruising of the brain; torn tissues in the brain; nerve damage; blood vessel damage leading to bleeding in or around the brain; fluid buildup in the cerebral ventricles of the brain; or even death. Long-term complications of TBIs can include cognitive problems such as issues with problem-solving and organization skills, as well as social and behavioral problems.
A TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe with symptoms dependent upon the severity of the trauma. A mild TBI, or concussion, can cause an injured person to experience physical symptoms such as headache, loss of consciousness, or nausea. With a moderate or severe TBI, an injured person can experience seizures or fall into a coma or a vegetative state. The severity of a TBI can be influenced by one or more factors including what part of the head was directly impacted, whether the brain moved back and forth in the skull upon impact, whether cellular structures were torn as a result of a severe rotational or spinning jolt, whether an object penetrated the skull, whether bleeding in or around the brain occurred, or the like.
Current measures for preventing or mitigating TBIs include physical measures such as buckling a seatbelt while riding in an automobile, cleaning a spill to avoid slipping in the spill, and wearing proper protective equipment (e.g., helmets) when participating in sporting events. However, there is currently a lack of remedial measures for mitigating brain trauma. As such, provided herein are compositions for mitigating brain trauma and methods thereof.